Electric light fixture



Jan. 25, 1955 E. JACKSON ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE Filed Oct. l, 1952 United States Patent O ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE Eugene Ilackson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 1, 1952, Serial No. 312,548

1 Claim. (Cl. 248-343) This invention relates generally to improvements in electrical fixtures and is directed particularly to a device for use as an accessory for facilitating the mounting of an electrical fixture on an outlet box.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device designed to be applied to an electrical outlet box whereby the attachment of an electric light fixture to the box may be accomplished easily and quickly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device designed for attachment to electrical outlet boxes where the same are already installed in a ceiling, whereby an electric light fixture can be attached directly to the box without having to change the box or otherwise alter the wall structure for the attachment to the box of the conventional threaded stud by which the electric light fixtures are conventionally supported.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an accessory device of the character stated for mounting a stud carrying bar in position across an outlet box so that an electric light fixture can be placed in position by attachment to the stud of such bar, and wherein the accessory device is designed so that it may be attached to the outlet box by means of the apertured and threaded ears forming a standard part of the box, for the attachment of the conventional cover plate or other electrical unit thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understod from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described since obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a transverse sectional view through a conventional type of outlet box mounted in a ceiling and showing the application thereto of the accessory comprising the present invention, a portion of the accessory being in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in plan of the ring portion of the accessory.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the numeral generally designates a conventional type of circular outlet box which may be mounted in a wall or ceiling, the plane of the surface of the ceiling being indicated by the reference character 12.

Boxes of the type illustrated comprise a back wall or bottom 14 and an encircling flange 16 and such flange is conventionally provided with two diametrically opposite inturned ears 18 which are provided each with a threaded aperture 20 to receive a screw 22 by which a switch receptacle, cover plate or other unit may be secured in position in the Well known manner.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided the flat ring or annulus 24 which is of substantial width from the inner to the outer edge as shown in Figure 3, and this flat ring or annulus has formed integrally therewith and extending from the outer edge 24a, the ears 26, each of which is provided with an aperture 28.

As shown in Figure 1, the ears 26 are disposed to extend outwardly and at an obtuse angle to the plane of the disk, the ears being in divergent relation and extending downwardly from the wall or ceiling line 12, when the disk 24 is applied to the outlet box 10 in the manner illustrated.

Formed in a circular row in the body of the annulus 24 are a number of short arcuate slots 30. These slots 30 are disposed at a radial distance from the center of the annulus equal to the distance of the threaded apertures 20 from the center of the'outlet box so that when the annulus is placed in position against the open front of the box and against the ears 18, two diametrically opposite slots 30 can be positioned to coincide with the apertures 20 so that the screws 22 can be inserted through the slots and threaded into the apertures 20 in the manner shown in Figures l and 2 to secure the annulus firmly against the open side of the box.

In association with the annulus 24 there is provided a cross bar 31 having a threaded stud 32 at its center and the ends of this cross bar are inserted in the apertures 28 of the ears 26, so as to position the stud at the center of the outlet box whereby said stud will extend downwardly as shown in Figure l.

It will be seen that the bar 31 can be firmly secured in position after it is properly centered by bending the ears 26 upwardly if desired, or it can be left to swing free so that after the threaded socket member, not shown, by which the electric light fixture is to be suspended, is threaded onto the stud 32, the usual cover element or shield, not shown, forming a part of the light fixture can then be moved up and secured in position against le ceiling so as to house or cover bar 31 and the ears ln place of the bar 31 use may also be made of the ears 26 for the support of light fixture suspension chains, not shown, by securing the end links of the chains in the apertures 28 of the ears 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there is provided by the present invention a novel accessory device for outlet boxes, which can be easily and quickly applied to boxes already installed in the wall or ceiling, without having to change or move the box, the device being particularly useful or serviceable in those situations where the conventional threaded stud cannot be secured in the bottom of the outlet box in the customary manner.

I claim:

In an electric light fixture mounting, including a cylindrical ceiling outlet box having a pair of oppositely disposed inturned ears, each of said ears having a threaded aperture, a at annulus member positioned against they open bottom of said box and having a plurality of c1r` cumferentially spaced elongated slots, screws passed through certain of said slots and threaded through said ears, a pair of apertured elongated ears projecting downward in divergent relation from opposite points on the outer edge of said annulus, a bar extending between and supported at its ends in said second mentioned apertures, and a threaded stud depending from said bar medially of the ends thereof to support a pendant light fixture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,523,180 Anderson Sept. 19, 1950 2,528,238 McDaid Oct. 31, 1950 2,528,418 Buckels Oct. 31, 1950 2,545,124 Tornblom Mar. 17, 1951 

